Key bolt or self-locking pin



Sept. 5, 1933.

w. F. CREMEAN KEY BOLT 0R SELF LOCKING PIN Filed Aug. 3, 1931 WMWLNMNNJ dam mg 3 thus prevent the locking arrangement from the little locking cross pin may be placed in the T W ad cross pin respectively.

Patented Sept. 5, 1933 1,925,174 KEY BOLT R SELF-LOCKING PIN William F. Cremean, Toledo, Ohio Application August 3, 1931. Serial No. 554,843

4 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in key bolts or self-locking pins and the method of making the same, and especially to a self-locking brake pin, although the self- 0 locking arrangement may be used in many various forms of devices where cotter pins or drift pins are used.

As is well known, most brake keys or brake pins are simply provided with a transversely positioned hole in their one end in which a cotter key is forced and then opened, but it often happens that the cotter key becomes worn and finally jars out of place.

There are also other forms of brake keys or brake pins, wherein many different arrangements are used for pressing little cross pins out- Wardly, but in these arrangements there is generally a multiplicity of parts which often become rusty or, as it is sometimes termed, freeze, and

Referring now to the drawing showing a preferred form, and its modifications,

Fig. 1 is a view of a key bolt or brake pin, partly in section, showing the cross pin and a piece of spring wire, the several parts being shown preparatory to assembly;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the little cross pin in position, the piece of spring wire havingits' one end threaded within the small pin preparatory to forming the spring;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the spring as formed in situ;

Fig. 4 is an end view showing the spring and cross pin in their normal position;

Fig. 5 is a slight modification showing. the arrangement at the end of a collar or shaft forming an inside look; and

Fig. 6 is a view showing the locking arrangement set in the end of a shaft to form an outside lock. 7 75 Referring now more particularly to the several views, there is shown in Fig. l a key bolt or brake pin consisting of the usual body or stud portion 1, with the slightly enlarged head 2. At the outer end of the bolt there is formed the central chamber 3, through which there extends the bore or transverse opening 4.

It will be understood that although I have shown the key bolt or pin as made of solid stock, and with the chamber 3 formed therein, it is also perfectly obvious that the bolt or key might be made out of hollow stock to thus do away with thenecessity of forming the hollow chamber at the end of the bolt.

NOW adapted to fit within the transverse opening 4 is the little cross pin 5, which is of only slightly less diameter than the opening 4, so that the same may slidingly move therein. This little cross pin 5 has the grooved head as at 6 for the reception ofa screw driver. There is also formed in this cross pin 5 the transversely extending hole 6a, which is adapted to receive the end 7 of a piece of spring wire 8.

properly functioning.

One of the objects, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a device wherein the small locking cross pin is spring-pressed, the spring in turn being formed in situ.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a locking arrangement that may be used either for an inside look or an outside lock, and

also be used on a relatively large shaft, as

end of a shaft near the periphery, it only being necessary to cut a relatively small chamber in the end of the shaft and a small registering transerse passageway for the reception of the spring S ll another object of the invention is to provide a key bolt which may be either hollow or solid, and if the latter, it only being necessary to form a small chamber in the end of the bolt and a transverse passageway registering with the chamber, which passageway and chamber are for the reception of the cross pin and its spring, shortly to be described.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple self-locking connection, g gg sg fig gg f g g 3 2 5 3 fig ggig wherein the spring is formed in that So will be just above the surface of the inner short piece of spring wire is placed in the small wall of the chamber 3 as Shown at It will Cross p111 and twlsted about the same, as to be noticed that the end 10 of the cross pin 5 now 50 normally hold the little pin in its locking position. extends beyond t outer surface of th t d or With the e and other objects in w. the body portion 1 of the bolt. The end of the pin vention consists in certain new and novel ar- 10 is also slightly rounded as at 11, as may be rangements and combination of parts as will be seen in the several views.

hereinafter more fully explained and pointed Now when the cross pin 5 is in the position out in the claims. 7 1

Now to assemble the several parts, the small as shown in Fig. 2, the 'smallwire 8 has its end are placed within the hole 6a of the pin 5 and the end of a screw driver is placed within the groove 6 and the small pin 5 revolved or turned until the wire 8 is wound to form the helix or spring, as shown in Fig. 3. This is all that is necessary to complete the assembly.

By forming the little spring in situ, there are no extra screws or nuts or locking arrangements necessary to hold the cross pin in place, as the end 7 of the spring 8 will prevent the pin from dropping through or being pushed through the transverse opening 4. The only way the cross pin could possibly be removed after once being assembled would be by using a pair of long nosed pliers and pulling the spring out of place, which would in reality destroy the: spring. However, should the spring for any reason break after long service, it might be removed as above outlined and a new one quickly put in position.

Now to insert the key bolt or brake pin in any receptive member, it will onlybe necessary to force the little locking pin 5 upwardly to the dotted line position (see Fig. 3), after which the bolt may be forced into its designed reoeptivemember. As soon as the-key has been inserted its full length, say. in a brake rigging or other device with which it is used, the little pin 5 will, as soon as it is cleared, spring to itsnormal position, to

7 thus hold the key and the part to which it is at tached (not shown) in their locked position.

Of course, to withdraw the bolt, the little cross pin 5 will be pushed inwardly by hand until it is flush with the outer surface of thestud or body portion 1, after which the bolt may be again withdrawn.

I have shown a slight modification in Fig. 5, that is, the small spring cross pin might be applied to a collar or shaft 12, tobe used as an inside look. In this instance, there would be a small bore or opening 13 with a transverse passageway 14 extending therethrough.- The little cross pin 15 will then be fitted within the transverse passageway l4 and the small spring 16 threaded within the hole 17 in the pin 16. Thepin will then be. turned by a screw driver to form the little spring in situ in exactly the same manner as shown in the preferred form.

In this instance, the pin, of course, would serve as an inside look, or in other words, lock in a member fitting inside the collar.

New in Fig. 6, substantially the same arrangement is shown, but here a shaft '18 is shown-with the chamber 19 and the.spring-pressedzcross-pln 20, the pin in this instance'forming ;an" outside lock. iii

In this form the locking arrangement may be used on a relatively large shaftwithout having to use a cross pin that extends; entirely across the shaft. Y

There are other adaptations. that-.iwill' appear to those skilled in the art wherein this little looking arrangement might be conveniently used.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in reality'there are only two parts that are necessary to make up the locking arrangement, that is, the little cross pin and the wire wound in spring formation.

Also, if hollow stock is used, it will only be necessary to drill the transverse passageway, but if solid stock is used, besides the transverse passageway it will be necessary to make a small chamber for the reception of the little spring that is .to be formed right in the chamber.

I am aware that it is old to form brake pins or key belts with transversely extending pins to form little locking members, but I am not aware of a pin or key bolt wherein it is only necessary to form a little chamber and a transverse passageway so that the little spring may be formed in situ, and no other parts being necessary to hold the spring or pin in place.

Having thus described-my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a locking device a body portion having a chamber formed in its end and a transverse passageway registering with said chamber, a cross in fitting within said transverse passageway and ided with a transverse hole therethrough, a ing having one end within the hole and bearing against the wall of he chamber, one end of the normally extending out beyond the surface of the body portion.

2. A cross pin adapted to be fitted in the end of a shaft, a spring about the cross pin and connected therewith, said spring being formed about the pin when the pin is in position.

3. A key bolt having a transverse passage near its end, a cross pin fitting within said passageway and of substantially the same length as the diameter of the key bolt, the said pin being grooved in one end for the reception of a tool to turn the same, said pin having a transverse opening therein for the reception of one end of a spring, the key bolt being formed with a chamber about the pin for the reception of a spring, the said spring being formed in situ about the pin.

4. A key bolt having a bore in its one end and a transverse passageway registering with the bore, a cross sliding pin within the said transverse passageway, a transverse passageway in the pin for the reception of one end of a spring wire, the pin normally having one end extending outwardlybeycnd the surface of the bolt, a spring wire fitting within the passageway of the pin, means cut in the top of the pin for turning the pin to draw the wire about the pin and thus resiliently hold the pin in position.

WILLIAM F. CREMEAN. 

